Cableway.



Patented Ian. l4, I902.

No. 69l,235.

GABLEWAY.

(Application filed Mar. 30, 1901.)

2 Sheets-Shag! I.

(No Muriel.)

INVENTOR wm IGM WITNESSES A M AZIMIAM I ATTORN EY 1m: NORRIS PETERS 0a., Puorauma. WASHINGTON, n. c:

Patented Jan; l4, I902.

- I No; 69!,235.

w. F. BROTHERS.

C A B L EWA Y.

(Application mad am. so, 1901.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

WITNESSES THE Nouns Pzrzns an, wasnmufnn, n. c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

lrVILLIAM F. BROTHERS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE V. F. BROTHERS COMPANY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORA- TION OF NEW JERSEY.

OABLEWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 691,235, dated January 14, 1902.

Application filed March 30, 1901. Serial No. 53,593. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. BROTHERS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Brooklyn, New York city,

New York, have invented certain new and.

useful Improvements in Oableways, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in cableways, whereby fixed anchors and guylines for holding the cable in position and keeping the same under tension are entirely done away with.

It has generally been the practice in erecting cableways to pass the cable over stationary towers and firmly anchor each end by fixed anchors. The towers and anchors are cumbersome, difficult to remove from place to place, especially when the cable is long, and require a much greater length of cable than does my invention.

By my improvement Ihave provided a selfcontained cablewayone that supports itself without being held by fixed anchors or guylines.

In the following I have described with reference to the accompanying drawings a structure embodying my invention, the features thereof being more particularly pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of myimproved cableway, showing the carrier in position on the cable. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same, the carrier being shown in the position indicated by full lines in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side eleva- 5 tion showing the carrier at one end of the cable. Fig. 4 is a plan of a modification of my improved cableway. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the parts as shown in Fig. 4.

In the drawings a 0. indicate the sheers,

40 one at each end. The sheers may be built in any suitable form and of any suitable material and are preferably constructed in the shape of an A-frame, as shown in Fig. 2, the base of the frame resting on wheels bl) or other suitable support.

0 0 indicate timbers or other suitable foundation adapted to hold the bases of the sheers in position. From near the upper end of each sheer is suspended a gravity-anchor e,

the means of suspension preferably being sufficiently long to allow the anchors to rest on the ground when the cable f, connecting the sheers, is under the tension desired. The anchors may each conveniently consist of a platform having stones or earth heaped thereon, each anchor approximately equaling the other in weight. The cable is attached to the sheers at or near the top thereof in any convenient manner. A carrierg is shown in position on the cable. The weight-of the anchors and the length of the cable and the sheers should preferably be so adjusted that the sheers will stand at an angle of about fortyfive (45) degrees when each anchor is resting on the ground.

The operation of the device is as follows: When the carrier with its lead is in the position shown in Fig. 3, the cable being under the desired tension each anchor just touches a the ground. As the carrier moves along the cable, as shown i'n'full lines in Fig. 1, the anchor more distant from the carrier rises from the ground. -When the carrier reaches a point on the cable midway the sheers, the anchor which has been raised sinks and the other anchor rises, the two maintaining a position of equilibrium, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 1. As the carrier passes the middle and moves toward either end the anchor at the end toward which it moves sinks, while the other anchor rises. When the carrier reaches a point near the end of the cable, then the anchor at the other end also sinks and the parts return to the position shown in Fig. 3. It is thus seen that there is a constant equilibrium of forces so coacting with each other that there is a constant giving of the parts with no danger of the apparatus falling down. The cableway cannot fall sidewise because of the construction of the sheers; nor canit fall endwise, because each anchor pulls against the other, the limit of movement being reached when each rests on the ground. The strain on the cable is constant, as the force exerted by the anchors is constant, and whatever the weight of the load it simply causes the sheers to oscillate more or less, varying as the load. The sheers rock upon their bases or points of support, the upper portions thereof oscillating through several degrees, depending upon the weight of the load. It is sometimes advisable to have one anchor heavier than the other, in which case the heavier anchor acts as a fixed anchor, while the other one rises and falls. In such cases as the carrier moves away from either end of the cable the lighter anchor rises, and as the carrier approaches either end it sinks until, when the carrier is at the end of the cable, both weights rest on the ground.

In Figs. 4 and 5 I have shown a modification whereby a very long cable may be safely and economically operated according to my invention. of adjustable length reaching fromthe ground to the cable and supporting the cable at points intermediate the sheers; The lower ends of the poles may simply rest upon the ground or may be inserted in holes dug for the purpose. as is necessary, the space bounded by poles or by a pole and a sheer acting as an independent section, each section being provided,

with a carrier, the anchors operating as above stated, according to the preponderance of weight either side of the middle. be desired to stretch the cable other than in a straight line, then gny-linesjj may be provided, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, to pull the cable sidewise and to maintain the same in or between a line and a sheer acting as an independent section, operated as .hereinbe fore stated.

It is obvious that the principle of my invention may be applied in a number of (lif-Q ferent ways, and I do not desire to restrict myself to the construction shown; but,

Having described a means for carrying out my invention, whatI desire to secure by Let ters Patent'of the United-States is- Y i '1. Acablewaycomprisinga cable'supported; at each end by inclined sheers each held mov- F ably-at the base so as to yield with variations of load upon the cable, a gravity-anchor being so suspended from each sheer upon the side opposite to the cable that the anchors may rest on the ground when the cableis'under tension, substantially as set forth.

In said figuresnl 1 indicate poles As many of these poles may be used- Should it 2. Acableway comprisingacable supported at each end by inclined sheers adapted to oscillate from the base with variations of load upon the cable, a gravity-anchor being so suspended from each sheer upon the side opposite to the cable that one anchor will rest on the ground while the other rises and falls, substantially as set forth. 7

3. A cableway comprising a cable supported at each end by inclined sheers held movably at the base so as to yield with variations of load upon the cable, a gravity-anchor being suspended from each sheer upon the side opposite to the cable, the anchors being so adjusted that when the load is at either end of the'cable they will rest on the ground, substantially as set forth.

4. A cableway comprising a cable supported at each end by inclined sheers/held movably at the base so as to yield with variations of load upon the cable, a gravity-anchor suspendedvfrom each sheer upon the side opposite to the cable, and supports intermediate the sheers adapted to hold up the cable, substantially as set forth.

5. Acablewayoomprisingacablesupported at each end by inclined sheers held movably at the base so as to yield with variations of load upon the cable, a gravity-anchor suspended from each sheer upon the side opposite to the cable and adjustable supports intermediate the sheers adapted to hold up the cable, substantially as set forth.

6. Acableway comprisingacable supported at each end by inclined sheers held movably at the base so as to yield with variations of load upon the cable, a gravity-anchor suspended from each sheer upon the-side opposite to the cable, supports intermediate the sheers adapted to hold up the cable'and guylines adapted for holding the cable in a position other than in a straight line from sheer to sheer, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM F. BROTHERS.

,Witnesses: 1

SEABURY O. MASTIOK, EDWIN O. SPRAGUE. 

